The driver of the silver Mustang that led Florida Highway Patrol on a pursuit through Palm Bay and Melbourne late Friday has been identified.

Eduardo Enrique Flores, 23, of Pembroke Pines is being charged with fleeing and eluding law enforcement. He being held at the Brevard County Jail on $15,000 bond.

Flores has had run-ins with law enforcement in his home county of Broward. He was arrested in August for domestic violence against the juvenile mother of his child, although the case was dropped in November, reports show. In February, he was charged with criminal mischief after allegedly slashing someone's tires. That case is still pending.

Flores led police on a pursuit that ended peacefully Friday night in Melbourne after he was caught by Florida Highway Patrol, who were assisted by Brevard County Sheriff's deputies and Palm Bay and Melbourne police.

A 17-year-old female passenger in the vehicle had originally been reported as a kidnapping victim, although she later told FHP that she had been with Flores of her own volition.

The teenager gave a written statement that the driver of the silver Mustang was her boyfriend and that she went with him willingly, said Sgt. Kim Montes of FHP.

"It appears the original report regarding an alleged kidnapping came from the girl's mother," Montes said.

It remains unclear why Flores refused to stop.

Around 10:30 p.m., police and deputies received reports that a Hispanic male driving a silver Mustang was fleeing FHP troopers north on Highway U.S. 1 with a 17-year-old female passenger.

"Deputies were able to close off major intersections and deploy stop sticks, disabling the vehicle's tires," said Lt. Shawn Eising, a spokesperson for the Melbourne Police Department.

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Firefighters put out a small fire that developed after a car being chased by police was stopped at US 1 and Post Rd. Friday evening.(Photo: Craig Bailey, Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY)

Despite the damage to the vehicle, the suspect continued to drive north on U.S. 1.

"The car was running on the rim, and the heat from friction with the road caused the wheel assembly to catch fire," Eising said.

The car was finally stopped at the intersection of Post Road and U.S. 1 in Melbourne, at which point the female attempted to exit the vehicle, police said.

"Both individuals were safely removed from the vehicle with no injuries," Eising said.

Brevard County firefighters arrived on scene and were able to quickly extinguish the flames.

Initial reports suggested the chase originated as far south as St. Lucie County, but troopers said they made contact with the suspect's vehicle south of Palm Bay in Brevard.

This story will be updated.

Contact Rogers at 321-242-3717 or esrogers@floridatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EricRogersFT.

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